Practice-clavier.



Patented Feb. l2, ism.

No. 668,003 I A. 0.35am.

PRACTICE CLAVIER.

Application filed June 5, 1900.)

3 Sheets--Sheet 2.

(No Model.

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/ fill/WE M ATIOR/VEY WITNESSES No.' 668,003. Patented Feh. l2, I90l. I

A. C. BERGMAN PRACTICE CLAVIEB.

(Application filed June 5, 1900.) (No Model." 3 Sheets$heet '3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Crmcn.

AMOS O. BERGMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO ANTHA M. VIRGIL, OF SAME PLACE.

PRACTICE-CLAVIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 668,003, dated February 12, 1901.

Application filed June 5, 1900.

ilh aZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, AMos O. BERGMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Practice-Olaviers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to practice-claviers; and the object thereof is to provide a practice-clavier action with a n umber of improved features whereby the keyaction shall simulate the key-action of a pianoforte and the sounds produced while being toneless shall be clear and distinct.

I am aware that it is old to provide practice instruments of the class described which may produce clicks or toneless sounds upon the downward or upward movement of the keys, or both, and do not claim, broadly, such construction. I am not, however, aware that a practice-clavier has been previously provided embodying the particular and effioient construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter specified.

\Vith the above and other objects in view, including a particular relative arrangement of parts, my invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and in which like reference characters denote like parts, Figure 1 is a plan view, centrally broken away, of a practice-clavier action and the casing thereof constructed according to my present invention; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section thereof upon the line m as; Fig. 3, a similar view of a portion thereof upon an enlarged scale; Fig. 1, an elevation of a touch-index element forming part of my improvement, also upon an enlarged scale; Fig. 5, asectional view and side elevation of the adjusting means for the primary sounding element, and Fig. 6 a similar view of the adjusting means for the secondary sounding element.

ings, I have shown at 7 the bottom member,

Referring more particularly to the draw- $erial No. 19,123. (No model.)

and at 8, 9, 10, and 11, respectively, the front, rear, and side members, of the casingorframe of the action of my improved practiceclavier. The sides 10 and 11 are connected bya front plate 12, which is spaced from the bottom frame member '7, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Transversely of the frame-bottom 7 I arrange a balance-rail 13, upon which are supported the keys 14 by means of the usual balance-pins 15. The frame-bottom 7 embodies a stop-plate 16, at the forward edge thereof, provided with the usual guide-pins 17, which operate in the customary manner in connection with the slotted forward end portions of the keys 14. The front plate 12 is provided at its lower edge with a cushionstrip 18, which is thus interposed between the same and the keys 14:- A stop-strip 19 is arranged transversely of the rear of the frame-bottom 7 and receives the rearward ends of the keys, limiting the downward play thereof.

The touch-regulating and index mechanism is as follows: A plurality of blocks 20 are secured to the frame rear members 9, and pivoted thereto by feet 21 is a touch-bar 22,

which ranges transversely of the frame rearwardly of the rear ends of the keys, and secured therein at one end of each key are a plurality of spring-lingers 23, which are centrally plurally coiled to increase the tensional potential thereof and hear at their lower ends upon the rearward ends of the keys 14, which rearward ends are provided with'reinforcements consisting, preferably,of buckskin or felt strips 24. The keys are thus maintained normally depressed at their rearward ends. Pivotally connected with the upper portion of the touch-bar 22, respectively at a plurality of points 25, are a plurality of link-arms 26, which converge into a screw connection with a coupling device 27, with which a touch regulat-ing arm 28 has a free screw connection at 29. The regulating-a-rm 2 8 has a hearing at its forward end in a socketed plate 29,whicl1 is sunk in the front plate 12 and is provided forward of said front plate with an operating head or knob 30 and with a pointer 31, which is read in connection with a scale of touch resistance of tension 32 upon a dial-plate 33.

The symbols or characters of the scale 32 represent ounces or fractions thereof and denote the pressure or tension imposed upon each of the keys 14c by its respective springfinger 23, it being manifest that rotation of the regulating-arm 28 by the knob or head 30 will cause a variation of the pivotal position of the touch-bar 22 and consequent variation of pressure of the spring-fingers 23 upon the rearward ends of the keys. Arranged transversely of the casing above the keys 1st and rearwardly of the balance-rail 13 is a hammer support or bar 3t, which is shouldered at the top both forwardly and rear wardly to form ledges, respectively, 85 and 236. The bar 3&- is supported by props 37, which pass upwardly between certain of the keys 1%, which are arranged to accommodate the same, said props being firmly secured at their lower ends in the frame-base 7, which is preferably provided with a reinforcing metal plate 38, through which said props pass. The frame-base 7 iscut away underneath to receive lock-nuts t0 upon the lower threaded ends of the props, other lockaiuts 4:0 being applied to said lower threaded ends above the plate 38, all as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and A plurality of yoke-shaped devices all are secured to the bar 35 at the rear thereof, resting upon the ledge 36 thereof, the bar above said lodge being preferably longitudinally ribbed or tongued at 4:2 and the yoke-shaped devices 4-1 being grooved or recessed at d3 to iitthesame. Set-screwstarepassedthrough the yoke-shaped devices 4-1 and into the bar 35.

Pivoted at its rearward end in each of the devices etl at it) is a' hammer element 45, which ranges forwardly of the frame and is provided with a cushioned adjustable stop *7, which has a screw connection with the respective ham merelement 4-5, and is provided at its upper end with an eye to, wherebyit maybe adjusted. Each of the hammer elements a5 is arranged above one of the keys 1&- andis provided with a contact-head :t9,Wl'1l("l1 is engaged in the upward movement of the rear end portion of the respective key by a capstan-screw 50, which operates in a threaded bore 5] in the respective key.

Each of the hammer elements a5 is provided with a primary and a secondary metallic striker device 52 and 53, respectively, each of which is provided with a screw-shank 52 and 53, respectively, which shanks pass through threaded bores in therespective hammer element, said striker devices being provided with squared heads 5t, whereby they may be adjusted by means of a wrench or other suitable tool.

Arranged in vertical alinement with and above the primary striker devices 52 is a primary sounding element 55, which ranges transversely of the casing and is pivoted at its rear edge portion at 56 in the casing sides lOand 11.

The sounding element consists of a rigid bar or rail, preferably of wood, provided upon its lower face, preferably at the forward edge thereof, with alongitudinal metallic slrip57. which is in operation engaged by the primary striker devices 52, as hereinafter set forth.

The sounding element 55 is provided at one end with a depending bracket 58, provided with a laterally-directcd stud 5i), and beneath said element 55 a bracket 00 is secured to the casing side 11. Pivoled ap 'n'oximately cen trally to the bracket (50 at 01 is a vertical lever-arm 62, provided atits upper end with an elongated slot 63, in which the stud 5i) operates, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The casingbottom 7 is provided adjacent to the side 11 with a plurality of guide-pins (5%, which operate in elongated slots (55, formed in an adjust ing-bar 6G, carryinga stud 07, which operates in an elongated slot (58 in the lower end of the lever-arm The casing is provided at each side of the forward ends of the keys 1&- with a fixed strip 69, and that strip (39 next adjacent the casing side 11 is cut away vertically to form a bore having the form of an inverted truncated cone, which bore is metal-lined, as shown at 70. A pivot-pin 71 is arranged transversely of said bore, and pivoted approximately centrally thereto is a tl1un1l. -levcr 7:3, provided with a knob or end piece 73 at its upper end and with an elongated slot 74: at its lower end, in which operates a stud 75, fixed to the forward end of the adjusting-bar 013. It is manifest that by swinging the knob 73 longitudinally of the casing the bar may be reciprocated to swing the lever-arm (32 upon its pivot or stud 61 and oscillate the sounding element 55 to bring the same into the path of movement of the striker devices 52 or out of such path of movement.

Hinged to the forward edge of the ham merelement support 35 at 76 in vertical alinc ment with the secondary striker devices 53 is a secondary sounding element 77, which ranges transversely of the casing beneath the hammer elements 45 and rearwardly of the primary sounding element The element 77 consists of a bar or rail provided upon its upper surface With a metallic strip 78, the forward portion ofwhich is preferably an gularly projected, arched, or struck up, as

clearly shown in Fig. 6.

The element 77 is provided at one end with a depending bracket 80, to which is pivote at 82 the upper end of a link-lever 8 3, the lower end of which is pivoted at St to an adjusting-bar 85 similar to the bar (36, but arranged at the other side of the casing and pro vided with elongated slots 86, in which operate guide-pins S7, iixed to the casing-base 7, all as clearly shown in Fig. 6. The casingstrip 69 at the correspondii'ig side of the easing or corresponding end of the keyooard is provided with a bore and metal lining 70, similar to those above described,and arranged transversely thereof is a similar pivot-pin 71, upon which is pivoted, approximatelycentrally, a thumb-lever 89, provided with a knob at its upper end, and an elongated slot 91 at its lower end, througl'i which passes a stud 92, secured-to the adjusting-bar 85.

Secured to the sides 10 and 11 of the casing and ranging transversely thereof above the keys 11- is a spring-bar 93, provided with a plurality of. spring-fingers 94, each of'which bears upon the forward felted end of one of the hammer elements to normally depress the same. It is manifest that by swinging the thumb-lever 72 longitudinally of the casing the adjusting-bar may be reciprocated to oscillate the link-lever 83 and oscillate the sounding element 77 to swing the same into or out of the path of play of the secondary striker elements 53, secured to the hammer element 45.

The form of the metallic strip 78 of the sounding element 77 may, if desired, be employed in substitution for the form of the metallic strip, 57 of the sounding element 55, or, if preferred, the form of said metallic sIrips may be considerably varied; but I prefer the form embodied in the strip 78, as it produces a louder click when engaged by one of the striker devices, due to its arched form, and at the same time possesses a certain degree of inherent resiliency.

It is manifest that either or both of the thumb-levers 73 and may be operated to adjust either or both of the sounding elements 55 and 77 into the path of movement of the striker devices 52 and 53, respectively, whereby a click maybe produced upon either the upstroke crdownstroke, or both, of the inner ends of the keys, as desired. As each of the keys 1% is depressed at its forward end the capstan-screw 50, connected therewith, engages the eontactpiece 49 of the respective hammer element and forces the latter upwardly, causing the respective striker device 52 to engage the metallic plate 57 of the primary sounding element if the latter shall have been adjusted into operative position, as above described, and sound a click thereon,which click will commence and occur substantially at the moment of complete depression of the forward end of the respective key. Previous, however, to the said complete key depression the respective hammer element will be forcibly repelled by its engagement with the primary sounding element and will again contact with the respective capstanscrew, causing a jar or momentary resistance to the normal depression of the key, which simulates the effect of a pianoforte-action. Asihe rearward end of the keyis allowed to fall, being heavier than the forward end and borne upon by one of the spring-fingers 23, the secondary striker device 53 of the respective hammer element will engage with the metallic plate of the secondary sounding element 77 if the same shall have been adjusted into operative position, as above described.

The method of use of practice-clavier actions of the class described being well known,

' further explanation thereof from an instructive standpoint is unnecessary.

The adjustable stop devices 47 maintain the hammer elements in normal position, and a particular feature of the present invention consists in the adjustability thereof and of the striker devices 52 and 53, whereby the same may be finely regulated to compensate for wear, shrinkage, and deviation from the normal position and condition of the other parts of the action, thus insuring an accuracy and evenness of click production.

The touch-bar 22 may be adjusted by the arm 28, as desired to regulate the tension of the spring-fingers 23 upon the keys 14, as denoted upon the dial-plate 33 by the pointer 31.

It is manifest that the sounding elements 55 and 77 may be provided with a plurality of adjustable supporting devices, such as the levers 62 and 83, and it is further evident that when said levers (i2 and 83 are in position to sustain the respective sounding elements in operative positions they are in substantially vertical positions,whereby they effectively receive the impact of the striker devices, rigidly sustaining the said sounding elements.

I do not limit myself to the specific construction and arrangement of parts herein specified, but reserve the right to vary the same within the scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a practice-clavier, a plurality of keys, a pivoted touch-bar, a plurality of springs connected therewith and arranged to bear upon said keys, a coupling device pivotally connected with said touch-bar, a regulatingscrew operatively connected with said coupling device and provided with an operating knob or head and with a pointer, and a dialplate in connection with which said pointer is read, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a practice-clavier, a support-rail, a plurality of hammer elements pivoted thereto and each provided with a stop device which normally engages said support-rail, a sounding element hinged to the forward edge of said support-rail, and means for pivotally adjusting the same, said hammer elements being provided with striker devices which in oper ation engage said sounding element to produce clicks, and a plurality of keys arranged to engage and oscillate said hammer elements to operate the same, substantially as shown and described. I

3. In a practice-clavier a pivoted sounding element, a link-lever connected at its upper end therewith, a reciprocating adjusting-bar loosely connected at its inner end with said link-lever, and a thumb-lever loosely connected at its lower end with the forward end of said adjusting-bar, whereby said sounding element may be pivoted to bring said linklever into a vertical position beneath said sounding element to sustain the same, sub stantially as shown and described.

1-. In a practice-clavier aplurality of keys, weighted at their rear ends, a support-rail arranged transversely thereof and above the same, a plurality of hammer elements pivoted each at one end to said support-rail,and provided with oppositely-directed striker devices, a primary sounding element pivoted above said hammer elements and ranging transversely of the same, a secondary sounding element hinged to said support-rail be neath said hammer elements and ranging, transxersely thereof, each of said hammer elements being prov'ded with a stop device which operates in connection with said support-rail to limit the downward play thereof, and means for adjusting each of said sounding elements into and out of the path of play of said striker devices, said striker devices being divided into two series, one for the primary sounding element and the other for the secondary sounding element.

5. In a practice-clavier, a support, a hammer element pivoted thereto and provided with an adjustable stop which normally ongages said support-rail, and with an adjustable striker device, a sounding" element disposed for engagement by said striker device in the pivotal movement thereof, and a key arranged to operate said hammer element, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a practice-clavier, a support, a hammer element pivoted thereto, a sounding element adjustably connected with said support, and means for adjusting the same with respect to the path of play of said hammer element; said hammer element being provided with a striker device which in operation engages said sounding element to produce a click, and a key arranged to operate said hammer element, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 26th day of May, 1900.

AMOS O. BERGMAN.

Witnesses:

ANTHA M. VInoIL, RAYMOND I. BLAKESLEE. 

